ABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus and hypertension both increase with advancing age in westernized societies. Current estimates suggest that IS million Americans are affected by diabetes mellitus, 90% of whom have type 2 diabetes or non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The prevalence is about 20% in non-Hispanic whites older than age 65 and is higher in African Americans and Hispanics. Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are also contributors to the increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus in industrialized nations.
